Card index



Feb. 5,1924. 1,482,699

R. A. PICARD CARD INDEX FiledOct. 24, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7J I b l IIIITTILILIIIVIYH 5.

IN VEN TOR I By ATTORNEY 48' 0v. IM

unearth. 5, 1924. I

u m 'rso srarss moi-1am) A. Pre im),

or new YORK, N. Y.

cam) INDEX.

Application filed October 24, 1922. Serial No. 596,577.

To all whom it concern! Be it known that I, RICHARD A. Promo, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at New York, NTY have invented'a certain new and useful Improvement in Card Indexcs, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description. Y

This invention relates to card indexes. In certain indexes, the cards are contained in a drawer, box,- or other suitable holder and are supported in a substantially vertical position soqthat, the forward face of-each card may be inspected. This is known as vthe verticalsystem and enablest'he matter.

upon one entire-faoe of the respective cards to be convenientl a and rapidly inspected.

Inanotherty c?o index, the cards are sup,-

tamof the parts shown in Fig. 1 illustratported in'ta older in'a substantially. flatoverlapping relation and the inner margins thereof are held inspaced relation so that the outer margin 'of each card is always exposed. 'l-his'isys'tem, which iaknown as the .visible.-. :or visible index Esystermlhas .the advantage-that ansindexg word or item may be. placed on the margin-of each-card and the index; items on the several cards are all.

visible at'the same time. T In this system, the

outer face of a card is exposed 'for reading by lifting the preceding cards...

In both the above systems it has been. the

'- pmcticc to use only one face of each of the cards in fillin out the same, thereby wastinglconsidera le space. It is obvious that in the vertical system it is impracticable to use both faces of the card on account of the inconvenience involved in readin the matcrial onthe inner face thereof. 11 the visible system it is possible to inspect the inner faces of the cards if-the drawers 'orholders in which the cards are mounted are removed from the/container or casing. Obviously, however, this involves some inconvenience. One of the principal objects of the present invention is to produce a novel and imroved card index having the advantages of iioth the vertical system and the vlsible index system. I f Another object of the invention is to produce a card index in which both sides of cachjcard may readily and conveniently be read so that both sides may adv-aptageously be used for the-matter to' be inglegacd.

With the above and other objects in view,

' the inventiouconsists in a card index emconstructions andcombinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings'illustrating the invention in its preferred form and constructions therein shown.

I In the drawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away andpartly in section, of a card index embodying the invention illustrating the same when employed as a vertical system; I 9 Y Fig. 2 is a view in sideelevation, of certhe following detailed description of the ing the same when employed as a visible ,ipdex system;

. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

-Fig. 4 is a plan view of certain of the stantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. l;

' Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through the base .of the holder and illustrating a modified holder for holding the cards;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 8; a

Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the card construction which may be employed in connection with the card holder shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive; and Fig. 11 is a view similar ;to Fig. 8 illustrating another construction for holding the.

cards in the holder illustrated in Figs. 1 to- 7 inclusive. 4 I

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the cards indicated at 2 are contained in a suitable holder indicated as a whole at 4. This holder preferably consists of a drawer ar ranged to slide in a casing 6. This drawer comprises a base 8, a rear end wall 10 rigidly secured to the base and a forward end wall 12 which forms the front of the drawer.

The cards 2 are preferably constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The cards shown in these figures each comprises a body 1-; and a foot portion ltl'bent at an angle to the body, the portion at tlie'iiieeting point of the foot and body forming a hinge for the card. The foot of each card is secured to a base plate 18 prefera'blyof the card inhterial. The cards are placed. in the drawei-"ot' the index with the cards assembled so that the base plates 18 overlap in the manner shown in Fig. 6 and with the base plates of the several cards resting on the base 8 of the drawer. In order to hold the cards in place in the drawer in a reliable manner, each of the base plates 18 of the cards is arranged to project beyond the body of the card at each end thereof and guide rails 20 are secured to the base 8 of the drawer on opposite sides thereof and are provided with ehannels in which the ends of the base plates are inserted, as shown in Fig.7.

The cards are preferably assembled in the drawer in the relative positions shown .in Fig. 6 with the rear portion of the base plate of each card'twerlapping the base plate of the next card to the-rearand inserted with .the corresponding portion of the foot betweenath'e base. plate and foot of the nexteard,- as shown in this figure. To allow the cards to be thusasseiiibledonl the rear part Ofxtllfi foot' of each card is attached to the base plate. a t I To enable the index to be used as'a vertical system. a support 22 is provided for engager inent'with' the reargca'rd of the series. This support is mounted .on a rod 24 secured to the drawer base for adjustment.longitudinally of the rod in the usual manner.

wardly from the drawer frontalong the sides'of. the drawer and are supported at.' their rearends byineans'of a U-shaped sin To enablethe-eard index to be used as a visible index system. the front 12 of the drawer is pivoted to -tlie"base by hinges i so that it can swing forwardly to the position-shown inlfig, 2. The drawer front is held in position by means of a U-shapedrod 28; the forward portion of which is engaged in a clip 30 secured to the drawer front so that the rod can turn relatively to'the clip.

The parallel arms of the rod extend rearporting rod 31 pivotallv secured by clips 32- to the rear wall of the drawer. The arms ot the'siipporting' rod 31 are pivotally connected at 34 with the ur ne of the rod 28. The arms of the rod 28 are. arranged to engage the same in position in the drawer.

When the index isiised as-a vertical system, the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. l. The parts are held in the positions shown I in this figure by means of. latches 36 respectively secured. to the end wall 10 and arranged to engage" one of the arms of the supporting rod 3].

When the index is to be used as a. visible index system the drawer front is swung forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 mv ryiiig the rod 28 and the supporting rod 31 to the positions shown in this tigiii'e. The cards of the index may be then swung for .wardly to the positions shown in Fig. 2. the hinge between the bodv and foot of the several cards allowing the pivotal movement of the cards. The manner in which the cards are assembled as shown -in Fig. 6

port- 22 is pivoted at. 3b to'the base of the support, and when the cards are used'as a visible index system the-upper portion of the sup-pdrtis swun 'forwardly so that itrests on the rear card, as shown. to assist in holding the cards in position.

The card shown in Fig. 5 differs from those shown in Fig. (3 in that a strip' 40,

pi'efei'ahl made of-celluloidor similar 11121- terial ant folded so as to embrace the upper margin of-the card, is mounted on the upper portion of the card and is securet'l in a suitable manner to the ends of the card. "llns str pformsa pocket in which a supplenieiital-card indicated at 42 may be 1nsci-ted with its upper margin beneath the I strip; as shown in this figure. =.'lhe material to'be indexed may be placed on this i-ai'd iiistead of on. the'card 14.

Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings-illusirate a construction which may be employed for holding and spacing the cards instead of the construction shown in' Figs. 1 to T inclusive. lit the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9, ordinary cards without an foot or base plate are employed. To hold the cards in position in thedrawer a series otclips 44 pivotally secured to the base of the drawer by means of metal -strips -16 are employed to receive the cards. the cards being inserted in the clips in the manner shown in this figure. Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate two different constructions which may i be employed for holding the card in connection'with the drawer construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. In the constriietion shown in Fig. 10 a rod 48 is se-.

cured to the" inner edge of the card preterably by meansof a strip of cloth otl folded about the rod and pasted to the opposite sides of the card. The ends of the rod l8 project beyond theends of the card and are provided with eard-spacing enlargements adapted to be insertedin the channelsv in theguide rails 20.

law

In the construction shown in Fig. 11, card-holding clips 52 are mounted upon a wire Fri-having enlargements at its Opposite ends extendingbeyond the ends of the card.

Inemploying this construction, the enlargements at the ends of the wire are inserted in the channels in the guide rails 20.

The card index above describediobviously has the advantages o'fboth the vertical and the visible index card systems. VVhen the material upon the forward faces of the cards is to be lead the index is used as a vertical system. hen the marginal index is to be inspectedi'or the'material upon the rear faces of the cards is to .be read, the front of thedrawer is swung downwardly to the position shown in Fig.2 and the cards are swung forwardly to the position shown in this figure; The material upon the rear faces of the cards then may be read in the same manner as usual in this system, by liftiing the card at the rear of the card to be rea Both faces of-the card mayv-be entirely filled with material in this'index, thereby enabling a great saving of space to be made. The construction is comparatively simple and the shift from the vertical system to the visible index system may be made-almost instantly. H

' Having explainedthe nature and 'object of the nvention, and having specifically described a construction embodying the inven tion in its referred foriii,-wh'at I claim is- 1. A card index 'having', in combination, a series of index cards, means for supporting the cards in a substantially vertical position so that one face of each card may be inspected, arranged to allow the cards to be shifted to a substantially fiat position, and means to cause the cards to assume a rela tively overlapping relation with the outer margin of one face .of each card exposed when shifted to the latter position.

-,2. A card index having, in combination -a series of index cards, means for supporting the cards in a substantially vertical position, so that one face of each card may be inspected, arranged to allow the cards to be shifted to. a substantially fiat positionand spacing means for the inner portions of the cards arranged to cause the cards to assume a relatively overlapping relation with the outer margin, of the opposite face of eachcard exposed when shifted to the latter pos1 4 tion.

3. A card index having. in conihination, a

series of index cards, means for supporting the cards in a substantially vertical position so that one face of each card may be inspectcd, arranged to allow the. cards to be shifted to a substantially flat position. and end guides and spacing means for the inner portions of the cards arranged to cause the cards to assume a relatively overlapping relation with the outer margin ofthc'opposite face of each card exposed when shifted tothe latter position;

4;. A card index having, in combination, a series of index cards, a drawer for containing the cards, means in the drawer for supporting the cards in a substantially vertical position so that the forward face of each card may be inspected, means for supporting the forward end of the drawer so that it may be swung forwardly to allow the cards to be shifted to a substantially flat position, and means to cause the cards to assume a relatively overlapping relation with the outer margin of the opposite face of each card exposed when shifted to the latter position.

5. A card index having in combination, a series of index cards, a containerfor the cards, means for supporting the cards in the $5 container arran ed to locate the inner margins of the car s in spaced relation and to allow each card toswin about an axis sub stantially coincident wit 1 said margin, and means for supporting the cards in a substan- W tially vertical position so that one face thereof may be inspected, arranged toallow the cards to be shifted to a substantially fiat position in the container.

6. A card index having, in combination, a series of index cards, a container for the cards, guide rails mounted on the base of the container, devices mounted on the inner \portion of each card extending beyondvthe -SQI1BS of index cards each having a body and a base plate extending beyond the ends of the card body to which the card body ispivotally attached, guide rails on the base of said container to receive the ends of said base plate to hold the cards in- )osition in the container, th'e'. base plates 0 the cards being arranged to overlap so as to space the inner portions of theicards, and means in the container for supporting the cards in a substantially vertical position so that one face thereof may be inspected, arranged to allowthe cards to be shifted to a substan-. tially fiat position in the container.

8. A card index having, in combination, a series of index cards, a. drawer for holding the cards having a base and a front pivotally connected to the base so that'it may-- he swung forward into substantially the plane of the base. mcans for holding the front of the drawer in a vertical position ar- 30 ranged to allow the same to skim; for-J wardly at the will of'the operator, :1 support mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the baseof the drawer for supporting the cards in a' substantially vertical posi-' tion in the drawer, guide rails having channels and located on the opposite sides of the base of the drawer, means associated with the inner portion of each card and-arranged loto engage in the ehe'nnels in the guide rails 

